Soldering process.



F. G. WASSMAN & M. E. WIDELL.

SOLDERING PROG ESS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1908.

F191 d i z Patented Ndv.15,1910.

.the can or article adjacent thereto requires i a large amount of heat or fuel, as quite a "large quantity,',g f's.urface or area of sheet ASSIGNORS T AMERICAN can comm,

OF NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concem: c.

Be it known that we, FRED G. WASSMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and MAsNUs E. WIDELL, a eiti zen of the United States, residing at Maywood, in the county of Cook and State of l lllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Soldering Processes, .of which the followin is a specification.

This invention re ates to the art or process of soldering seams or joints of cans or other sheet metal articles;

Heretofore the seams or joints of sheet narily been soldered by heating the joint metal cans and other articles have ordithroughout its; entire extent or a considerable portion thereof to the fusing point, of

, metaladjacent thereto have been cooled and the solder set while the parts or members of the .joint to be united by the solder have been "maintained in proximate contact with each other, This old method or process of soldering b heating the whole or a considerable-portlon of the joint andthe parts of metal is required to be raised to and maintained at a 'high or fusi temperature for a considerable period 0 time. The old -method or process ofsoldering also requires a'comparatively large amount of solder as the members or parts of the joint to be united with the solder are not always in the closest possible contact throughout the em-ire extent of the seam or the portion thereof being soldered at anyone time, thus leaving crevices or spaces "to be filled with Stiller and thereby increasing the amount of 'siji'ider otherwise required to form the oint.

.The old method or process of soldering is also attended with -'great diflicultyin producing with certainty and uniformity, her- 'metically tight soldered joints'or seams, because it is difiicult to maintain the parts of the joint. throughout the whole extent of its len th or the considerable portion thereof at whiclfthe solder is fused or molten inthe necessary, perfect and close contact while Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 5, 1908. Serial No. 419,257.

rnnn 1o. WASSMAN, orcnIcAso, AND menus n. WIDELL, or MAYwoon; rumors,

sonnnnme PROCESS.

Patented as is, rare.

- the joint is being cooled and the solder setting; and also because it is diflicult to keep the fused or molten solder properly and evenly distributed throughout the entire extent of the joint or fused portion during the cooling. or setting operation. And in the old method'or process of soldering, thedifiiculty of producing with certainty and uniformity hermetically tight solder joints or sea-ms is also very greatl' increased or aggravated in cases where t e work being done is the soldering of final heads or covers so f on filled cans, owing to the heat of the solv dering operation generating steam or gases under pressure within the can or vessel, which, tending to escape through the fused solder of the joint, produce fine pin holes orleaks.

The object of this invention is-to provide a new method or process of soldering by means of which the soldering may be done 'withaminimum expenditure of heat or fuel, and with a minimum amount of solder, and

whereby at the same time, hermetically tight solder oints may be produced with certainty and uniformit whether the cans be filled or empty, and all danger of leaks or pin holes beingformed by steam or ases under pressure in the can tending to orce a way out through the fused or setting solder entirely eliminated, as well as the other diifi culties' heretofore experienced.

The invention consists in the method or process discovered and herein described by which this object orresult is practically accomplished. That is to sa it consists in the discovery that hermetrically tight soldered joints or seams may be certainlyand uniformly produced with a minimum expenditure of heat or fuel and with a minimum quantity of solder by first coating the contacting surface of one member. of the joint with solder and then the members of the joint being assembled,- subjecting the joint, point after point of its length or extent, or minute seam-areaafter minute seamarea, momentarily and progressivel and successively, to the action of heat an pressure, the heat being applied upon one side only of the joint and directly at the'point or minute seam-area at the time under ressure, and while the oppositeside of the oint is continuously subjected to a cooling action both at the instant of heating and fusing solder film between the members ofthe joint is progressively fused and progressively set,

the setting at each point of minute area taking place almost instantaneously or'imme- 5 diately after the fusing; and so that the members of the joint at the point or minute area where the solder is being fused are held in close and perfect contact with each other by the pressure applied at the fusing point in connection with the setting and completely set portions of the seam or joint directly or slightly farther in advance of the point or minute area under pressure and being fused.

In practicing the invention, any suitable means, tools or devices may be employed for progressively subjecting the seam or jointpoint after point, or minute area after minute area, momentarily to the action of heat and pressure to produce the progressive fusing of the solder and the progressive setting thereof; but a hollow rolating heated roller, having a gas burner f0 projecting flame into it, is preferably the means employed. for progressively applying heat and .pressure to the seam or joint, the can or article (the seam of which is being soldered) being supported and conveyed under the heated roller by a movable cooling device, die or holder which engages the opposite side of the seam from the heatedroller to resist the pressure thereof and thus acts as the opposing pressure device in conjunction with the roller. This cooling device, die, holder or opposing pressure device, not being heated, aids materially the quick progressive setting of the'solder at each successive point or minute' area of -the seam after passing or being acted upon by the heated roller. As the heat and'pressure are thus applied only to one point or minute area-of the seam or joint at a time by the heated roller orother like device, and as only a very small portion or area of the seam is heated to the fusing degree at any one time, and as the portions of the can or article adjacent to the seam are not heated at all, a very small amount of heat-energy or fuel is required; while at the same time theheating or fusing is done very quickly at each successive point or minute area of the seam, and the setting or cooling of the fused solder also quickly and almost instantaneously follows up the fusing, point after point, or minute area after minute area. The consequence or result of this is that the fusing and soldering apparently take place in the somewhat surprising or paradoxical manner of neither heating the article nor can, its contents, nor even the seam or joint itself which is soldered, because the moment the can, article or seam is soldered by this proc-- ess, the same is apparently as cool as it was before the soldering operation began and may be grasped with the hand the instant it pressure device, can-holdeigdie or other like cooling instrumentalitv. and directly at the point or minute area of the seam which is at the instant fused, the pressure, however limited in degree, is sure to hold or maintain the members of the seam at each particular minute area thereof where the solder is 3 being fused and being set in close and perfect contact with each other, and entirely free from crevices or vacant spaces between them; so that perfect soldering may be effected with a very limited or minimum amount of solder. And as the fusing and soldering are done as before stated without any appreciable heating either of thearticle or can or its contents or the portion thereof adjacent to the seam, or. even of the seam or joint being soldered, (so far as any considerable or appreciable extent of such seam or joint is concerned,) the soldering takes place without any tendency whatever to produce steam or other gases under pressure within the can; so that all .danger of any escaping steam or gas producing pin holes or leaks is entirely eliminated or prevented.

As it is only the seam port-ion of the can or article that is heated, at all, and as this seam portion is'heated progressively, or successivelfy, point after point, or minute seamarea a ter minute seam-area, it is only a very small portion of the seam that is heated 5 to the fusin point at any one time; so that the cool, un eated adjacent portions of the seam and of the can or article, being cool themselves, materially aid the opposing lower or cooling pressure device in progressively and quickly or almost instantaneously cooling and setting each successive fused point or minute area of the seam. As the solder film or coating is already fusibly united to the tin coat surface of one member of the seam, the soldered joint which unites the two members of the seam is in one sense half formed before the rogressive fusing and setting operation ta (es place; and it is for \this reason of material advantagein practicing the invention that the cooling pressure device should contact directly with that member of the seam to which the solder coating or film is already'fusibly united, and that the heated pressure device should contact directly with that member of the seam whose tin coat 'surfacerequires yet to be fusibly united with the solder film or coating on the other member of the seam.

As the heated roller or pressure device only 13c contacts with the seam or joint upon one side thereof, while the opposing can-holder, die or pressure device, which contacts with the other side of the seamremains cool or unheated, the action of the heated pressure device on one side in conjunction with the cans, such, for example, as sardine cans, the

heated roller is applied dia onally to the seam so that the portion of the seam which is at one corner of t e can will be the last portion fused and so dered. 'This is espe cially useful in soldering the final headsu on filled cans as it leaves any surplus liqui or other fluid within the can free to be pressed 'out or esca e at the final corner portion of the seam w ich passes last under the heated roller, and thus prevents escaping liquid'or fluid from interfering with the fusing and soldering operation until the last point of the seam is closed by-the pressure of the heated roller and fused and set or soldered. In soldering such cans, the covers of which have integral-key opening tongues, the corner of the can at which the tongue is located should be the last to pass under the heated roller in the progressive soldering operation, as the. pro'ecting tongue causes the seam to, leave t e'heated pressure roller more smoothly and as the projecting portion of the tongue still under the pressure of the roller tends to hold the two members of the seam directly in advance thereof in close contact. until the solder therebetween be comes fully set.

In the accompanyingdrawing forming a 'part of this specificatlon, tools or devices suitable for use in practicing the invention are indicatedto enable the processor method to be more readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In said drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line,2-2 of.

Fi%1; Fig. 3 a vertical section on line 3'-3 of ig.-1; Fig. 4 an enlarged detail vertical gsection-i'n the direction of the length of the seam and illustrating the progressive fusing and setting or soldering operation. Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating-the action of a projecting tongue on the cover in holding,

the two members of the seam directly in ad- Vance thereof in contact with each other.

Inthe drawing, A represents a sheet metal can or other article of tin plate having a body portion A furnished with a soldering flange or joint member a and a cover A having a soldering flange or joint member a. The soldering flange or joint member of one of these parts, preferably the body part, is furnished with a thin film or coating of solder a a plied thereto and fusibly united therewith efore the can is filled.

The cover A is preferably countersunk as indicated in the drawing so that the countersunk portion A thereof may fit within the upper end or mouth of the body part A and the cover A preferably also has an inte gral projecting tongue A at one corner to enable the can to be opened ,with a key in the usual manner.

B is aheated ressure device, b means of which heat and pressure may applied progressively to the members of the seam or oint to be united by the solder, that is to say, point after point, or minute area after minute area successively. This heated pressure device preferably consists of a hollow cylindrical roller, and the same is preferably heatedby a gas or other burner O by whichflame may be projected inside the hollow roller. h

D is an opposin cooling pressure device, preferably in the orm of a non-heated die or holder for the can or other article to be soldered, and which engages the seam or joint on the op osite side from the heated roller pressure evice and opposes the pressure thereof. I

To insure proper pressure being exerted progressively against each successive portion of the seam as it passes under theroller, the bearings (l of the roller are preferabl movable or adjustable and furnished wi springs (Z and adjusting screws d for regulating the tension of the springs as indicated in the drawing. v

. To cause the seam to be subjected uniformly and progressively to the action of 110 the heated roller, the roller is rotated at a uniform speed, this being preferably done by a worm F and worm gear F as indicated *in'" the drawing. "-To cause the seam of the can or other article to be brought successively point after intyor minute area after mmute area, into contact with the heated roller, the holder or die I) supporting the same is preferably movable or mounted upon or forms part of amovable. carrier as G.

In racticing the invention, a series or plurality of dies, holders or opposingcoolmg pressure jdGViCBS D are preferably employed, which pass one after another under the heated roller or pressure device B. This revents the dies or holders D from becomlng heated toany material extent by reason of temporary proximity 'tOflJhG heated roller, as they pass under it, andthus causes each to act more efficiently in cooling and setting the solder at each successive point or minute area at any one time fused.

In practice, it is preferred to make the heated ressure device or roller B about six inches 1n diameter and to pass the seam in contact therewith at the rate of about one inch per second, though the speed, however, may be materially varied, depending upon the degree to which the pressure roller is heated, and the character of the solder and other conditions.

If the can or article to be soldered is of a rectangular form, as indicated in the drawing, its holder is preferably arranged so that it will pass cornerwise or in a diagonal direction under the roller. And if the cover of the can is furnished with a tongue, as illustrated in the drawing, the corner thereof bearing the tongue should be the last to pass under the roller as indicated in the drawing, as the tongue corner will pass more evenly and smoothly from under the roller than a lain corner, and as the heated pressure rol ler by its final engagement with the tongue will thus hold the members of the seam at the final corner in contact with each other until the tongue also leaves the roller.

It is preferred to have the lower or cooling pressure device the movable or traveling one instead of mounting the upper or heated pressure device on a movable carrier to give the required relative or translating movement to the upper and lower pressure devices in respect to each other. As the lower or cooling pressure device travels in respect to the heated roller, it will be understood that the particular portion of the cooling pressure device directly tangential to or under the heated roller is constantly changing so that the heated pressure device continuall cooperates with a new or cool portion 0 the lower pressure device, and that there is thus little tendency for the cooling pressure device to become materially heated. The fresh or cool cans put one after another into the lower pressure device also tends to prevent any material or injurious rise in temperature of the cooling pressure device. Ordinarily in practice, it is not-found necessary to subject the cooling pressure device to an air blast or other means for keeping its temperature sufficiently low to enable it to act efliciently as a cooling or setting device for the solder. In practice, it is not often that the temperature of theholders D at any time rises above that comfortable for the hand to rest upon. And as this solder cooling or setting device will act efficiently to set the solder if its temperature is a few hundred degrees below that of the solderfusing point, it will be'readily understood that successful operation will not be endangered by a small rise of temperature in the cooling device D owing to its proximity to the heatwith the heated roller B is fused for a minute or limited area, as Indicated, for example, between the lines :2 00 because of the direct contact of the heated roller with the upper side of the seam at the tangential point an and its very close proximity thereto for a very slight distance at each side of this tangential point; and-then immediately as the seam and its cooling device or holder D travels in the direction indicated b the arrow, this fused portion immediate y begins to set because of its separation from the heated roller and of the cooling action of the lower pressure device D with which the lower member of the seam remains continuously in contact and-because of the cooling action of'the surrounding portions of the seam itself and the immediately adjacent cool portions of the cover and body of thecan adjacent to the seam, which all aid in very quickly subtracting temperature from the minute fused area of solder suflicientto cause the setting thereof; so that the minute area of fused solder almost instantaneously becomes set. If, as indicated at Fig. 4 in the drawing, the solder a between the lines 00 2: may be considered as in a fused condition, that between the lines 00 w may be considered as in a setting condition and that in advance of the line 00 in a set condition. It will thus be readily understood from Fig. 4 that as the cooling ressure device D remains constantly an directly in contact with the lower member of the seam, and as the heated pressure device B contacts with the upper member. of the seam only momen-' tarily and successively, point after point, or minute area after minute area, the members of the seam are pressed into very closeand mtimate contact with each other during the whole period that anyone particular minute seam-area is under the solder fusing and solder setting operation, and that the members of the seam have no tendency or possibility of springing apart or separating after the. fushing action takes place at any particular point before that particular point is securely united by the setting of the solder, the setting following so quickly and closely the fusing, and taking place at a point so near that which the heated roller contacts with the upper member of the seam 'and clamps or presses it firmly against the lower or cooling pressuredevice. 7

It will, of course, be understood, that while the line a correctly indicates the tan- 'gential or contacting point between the heated pressure roller and the scam, the point a) where the solder is represented as becoming fused and m where it is represented as again beginnin where the solder is indicate as again having become sufliciently firmly set to exert material holding action in keeping the members of the seam in close contact with each other, are simply intended to illustrate the principle and operation of the progressive fusmg and progressive setting, and are not intended to represent the exact points at which the fusing of the solder begins or its setting begins or ends, as the same will necessarily vary with the character of the solder and with the speed of movement of the can or its holder and with the temperature of the heated roller and other conditions.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. The process or method of soldering seams or joints of cans or other tin plate articles, consisting in first coating the contacting surface of one member of the joint with solder, and then, the members of the joint being assembled, subjecting the joint, point after point of its length or extent, or minute area after minute area, momentarily and successively or progressively to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, while one side of the joint throughout its whole 'extent'is simultaneously subected to a cooling action, substantially as specified.

2. The process or -method of soldering scams or joints of cans or other tin plate articles, c nsisting in first coating the contacting su'face of one member of the joint w th solder, and then, the members of the oint being assembled, subjecting the joint,

, point after point of its length or extent, or

minute area after minute area, momentarily and successively or progressively to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applled, the heat being applied upon one side only of the joint and directly at the point or minute area of the joint at the time under pressure and the opposite side of the joint throughout its Whole extent being constantly subjected to a cooling action, whereby the solder film between the members of the jolnt is progressively fused and progressively set, substantially as-specified.

3. The process or method of soldering seams or joints of cans or other tin plate ar t1cles,consisting in first coating the contacting surfaceof one member of the joint with solder, and then, the'members of the joint being assembled, subjecting the joint, point after point of its length or extent, or' minute area after minute area, momentarily and successively or progressively to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied,

to set and w the heat being applied upon one side only of the joint and directly at the point or minute area of the joint at the time under pressure and the opposite side of the joint stantly subjected to a cooling action, whereby the solder film between the members of the joint is progressively fused and progressively set, and holding or maintaining the members of the joint at the point or minute area thereof where the solder is being fused in close and perfect contact with each other until each successive fused area of. solder sets, substantially as specified.

4. The process or method of soldering seams or joints of cans or other tin plate articles, consisting in first coating the contacting surface of one member of the joint with solder, and then, the members of the joint being assembled, subjecting the joint, point after point of its length or extent, or minute area after minute area, momentarily tion of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, the heat being applied upon one side only of the joint and directly at the point or minute area at the time under pressure, and the opposite side of the joint throughout its entire extent being simultaneously subjected to a cooling action, so that the solder film between the members of the joint is progres sively fused and progressively set, substantially as specified.

5. The process or method of soldering seams or joints of cans or other tin plate articles, consisting in first coating the contacting surface of one member of the joint with solder, and then, the members of the joint being assembled, subjecting the joint, point after point of its length or extent, or minute area after minute area, momentarily and successively or progressively to the'action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, the heat being applied upon one side only of the joint and directly at the point or minute area at the time under pressure, and the op- ,posite side. of the joint throughout its entire extent being simultaneously subjected to a cooling action, so that the solder film between the members of the joint isprogressively fused and progressively set, the nonheated side of the joint being the member thereof having the solder coating, substantially as specified.

6. The process or method of soldering tin plate seams consisting in subjecting the mem bers of the seam, one of which is solder coated progressively at successive portions to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, the heat being applied only to themember of the joint which does not bear the solder coating and the opposite .member of the joint being' simultaneously subjected throughout its entire extent to a cooling action, substantially as specified.

throughout its whole extent being con-.

and successively or progressively to theac-,

7. The process or method of soldering tin plate seams consisting in subjecting the memers of the seam, one of which is solder coated, progressively at successive portions to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously aplplied, the heat being applied to the seam on and only upon one side thereof, and directly at the portion thereof at the time under pressure and the opposite member of the oint being simultaneously subjected throughout its entire extent to a coolmg action, substantially as specified.

'8. Theprocess or method of soldering tin plate seams consisting in subjecting the members of the seam, one of which is solder coated, progressively at successive portions to the action of heat and pressure simultaneouslyapplied, the heat being applied upon one side only of the seam and directly at the portion thereof at the time under pressure, and the opposite side of the seam throughout its entire extent being simultaneously subjected to a cooling action, substantially as specified.

. 9. The process or method of soldering tin plate seams consisting in subjecting the members of the seam, one of which is solder coated, progressively at successive portions to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, the heat being applied upon one side only of the seam and directly at the portion thereof at the time under pressure, and the opposite side of the seam throughout its entire extent being simultaneously subjected to a cooling action, and the side of the seam to which the heat is applied being other than the one bearin the solder coating, substantially as specifie 10.-The process or'method of soldering seams of cans or other tin plate articles, consisting in subjecting one side of the seam throughout its entire extent to a cooling action and in progressively fusing and progressively setting a solder film or coating between the members of the seam and fusibly united with one member thereof by subjecting successive minute portions of the seam momentarily-to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, substantially as specified.

11. The process or method of soldering seams of cans or other tin plate articles,

consisting in subjecting one side of the seam throughout its entire extent to a cooling action and in progressively fusing and progressivelysetting a solder film between the members of-the seam and fusibly united with one member thereof while themembers of the seam are subjected at successive portions,

throughout its entire extent to a cooling ac tion and in progressively fusing and progressively setting a solder film or coating between the members of the seam and fusibly united with one member thereof while the members of the seam are under heat and.

pressure simultaneously applied. at successive minute portions thereof, substantially as specified.

13. The process or method of soldering seams of cans or other tin plate articles, consisting in subjecting the seam point after point of its length or extent or minute area after minute area successively to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied, the heat being applied upon one side only plied at successive minute portions thereof, the heat being applied at one side only to each successive portion, while the o posite side of the seam throughout its entire extent is subjected to a cooling action, substantially as specified.

15. The process of soldering covers on rectangular tin plate cans, consisting in subjecting one side of the seam throughout its entire extent to a cooling action and in progressively fusing and progressively setting a solder coating between the members of the seam and fusibly united with one'member thereof while the members of the seam are subjected to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied at successive minute portions thereof, substantially as specified.

16. The process of soldering covers on rectangular tin plate cans, consisting in progressively fusin and progressively setting a solder coating between the members of the seam and fusibly united with one member thereof'while the members of the seam are subjected to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied at successive minute portions thereof, the heat being applied upon one side only of the seam while the opposite side thereof throughout its entire extent is subjected'to a cooling action, substantially. as specified.

17. The process of soldering covers on rectangular tin plate cans, consisting in subecting one side of the seam throughout'its entire extent to a cooling action and in progressively fusing and progressively setting 'a solder coating between the members of the seam and fusibly united with one a solder coating between the members of the seam and fusi y united with one member thereof while the members of the seam are subjected to the action'of heatand pressure simultaneously applied at successive minute portions thereof, the heat being applied upon one side only of the seam while'the opposite side thereof throughout its entire extent is subjected toa cooling action, said.

progressive fusing and setting operation beginnin at one corner of the can and ending at anot er, substantially as specified;

19. The process of soldering tongued covers on rectangular tin plate cans, consist-' ing in sub ecting one slde of I the seam throughout its entireextsnt to a cooling action and in progressively fusing and progressively setting a solder coating between the members of the seam and fusibly iinitfe'd with one memberthereof while the members of the seam are under" action of heat and pressure simultaneosly applied to suecessive minute portions thereof, said progressive fusing and setting operation beginning at one corner and endingat the ton ued corner thereof substantially as specific" 20. The process of soldering covers having tongues on rectangular tm plate cans, consisting in subjecting one side of the seam throughout its entire extent to a cooling action and in progressively fusing and progressively setting a solder coatin the members of the seam and fusi 1y united between with one member thereof while the members of the seamare under action of heat and pressure simultaneously applied at successive portions thereof, said progressive fusing and progressive setting operation concluding at the tongue portion, substantially as specified.

ram) 0. WASSMAN.

MAGNUS E. WIDELL.

Witnesses:

EDMUN AnoooK, WILLIAM A. GEIGER. 

